By place Mongol Empire • Spring – Mongol forces (some 80,000 men), under
Hulagu Khan, cross the
Oxus River, and begin their campaign to destroy the remaining Muslim states in southwestern
Asia – with the first objectives being the
Nizari Ismaili strongholds and
Baghdad, the capital of the
Abbasid Caliphate. The roads across
Turkestan and
Persia are repaired, and bridges built. Carts are requisitioned to bring siege machines from
China. •
October – Mongol forces led by
Baiju Noyan (operating under Hulagu Khan's command) win a victory over
Kaykaus II, Seljuk ruler of the
Sultanate of Rum, and capture
Anatolia. Kaykaus flees to the Byzantine court where he seeks refuge at
Constantinople. The
Empire of Trebizond fearing a potential punitive Mongol expedition, becomes a vassal state and is forced to pay a
tribute tax every year in gold and silk. •
November 8–
23 –
Siege of Maymun-Diz: Mongol forces under Hulagu Khan successfully besiege the mountain castle of
Maymun-Diz. Hulagu encircles the fortress and begins a bombardment for three days by
mangonels from a nearby hilltop. On
November 19, Nizari Isma'ili imam
Rukn al-Din Khurshah surrenders, but a small part of the garrison refuses and fights a
last stand, until they are killed after three days. •
December 15 – Mongol forces under Hulagu Khan capture and dismantle
Alamut Castle (near the
Masoudabad region) after the surrender of the Nizari Ismaili leaders. Hulagu founds the
Ilkhanate dynasty of Persia, which becomes one of the four main divisions of the
Mongol Empire. The Nizari Ismaili government is disestablished; some of them migrate to
Afghanistan,
Badakhshan and
Sindh (modern
Pakistan).
Europe •
War of the Euboeote Succession: Achaean forces under
William II of Villehardouin attempt to gain control of the island of
Euboea, which is resisted by the local Lombard barons (or "triarchs") with the aid of the
Republic of Venice. William launches devastating raids in Euboea.
Guy I de la Roche, the "Great Lord" of
Athens and Thebes, enters the war against William, along with other barons of
Central Greece. •
30 July – The Venetian
Marsilio Zorzi recaptures
Curzola in
Dalmatia, and re-establishes himself as Count of Curzola and
Mèleda.
British Isles • Prince
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd invades the northern coastal areas of Wales that agreed to English rule in
1254.
The Lord Edward, who has been given the areas to govern himself by his father, King
Henry III of England, asks him for support but Henry refuses. • The ancient Irish
Kingdom of Breifne splits into
East Breifne and
West Breifne, after a war between the
O'Reillys and the
O'Rourkes.
Levant •
War of Saint Sabas: A dispute between
Venice and
Genoa arises about concerning land in
Acre owned by
Mar Saba but claimed by both Venice and Genoa – which leads to a Genoese attack of the monastery in the Venetian quarter. The Venetians are supported by
Pisa and the
Knights Templar, while the Genoese are joined by the
Knights Hospitaller.
Religion •
May 4 –
Pope Alexander IV issues the papal bull
Licet ecclesiae catholicae, constituting the
Order of Saint Augustine at
Lecceto Monastery. •
August 25 – In
Bologna, slavery and serfdom are abolished; this event is recorded in the document called
Liber Paradisus (or Heaven Book). == Births ==